The Preterite Tense

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Transcript of The Preterite Tense

The Preterite TenseThe Preterite TenseThe preterite tense in spanish tells what happened in a paticular moment in the past. Generally speaking, the preterite is used for actions in the past that are seen as completed. Use of the preterite tense implies that the past action had a definite beginning and definite end.For the - AR endingsTo conjugate regular -ar verbs in the preterite, simply drop the ending (-ar) and add one of the following:

Yo -íTu -isteel/ella/usted -ióNosotros -imosVosotros -isteis ellos/ellas/ustedes -ieronNoteNote: the nosotros forms for -ar and -ir verbs are the same in both preterite and present tenses.Stem-Changing-ar and -er verbs that change their stem in the present tense do not change in the preterite. They are conjugated just like other regular preterite verbs.-ir verbs that change their stem in the present tense do change in the preterite, but in a different way. They change e:i and o:u in the third person, singular and plural.Orthographic Changing VerbsSome common orthographic changing verbs for the preterite tense in these categories are:

-gar -car -zarcegar-to blind/stop aparcar-to park almorzar - to eat lunchcolgar -to hang buscar- to erase autorizar- to automatejugar to play sports clarificar-to clarify cazar-to bag/catch/chasellegar- to arrive clasificar- to clasify comenzar-to commencepagar-to clear destacar-to detach/detail cruzar- to cross/cruise/cutplegar- to bend/crease empacar-to pack empezar- to beginregar-to irrigate justificar-to justify forzar- to coerce/compel rogar- to beg/petion practicar- to practice organizar- to organizetragar -to absorb/digest sacar-to clear simbolizar - to symbolizevagar - to meander/idle tocar- to play insturments tropezarse- to encounter Spelling ChangesIn order to preserve the sound of the infinitive, a number of verbs change orthographically (spelling) in the preterite tense. The following changes occur in the "yo" form only:

Verbs that end in -gar change g to guVerbs that end in -car change c to quVerbs that end in -zar change z to c

Here are three examples:

yo jugué (jugar) to play sportsyo busqué (buscar) to eraseyo almorcé (almorzar) to eat lunchVerbs That end in -aer, -eer, -oír, and -oerFor verbs that end in -aer, -eer, -oír, and -oer, the él/ella/usted forms use the ending "yó" (rather than ió) and the third person plural uses the ending "yeron" (rather than ieron). The remaining forms gain a written accent over the letter "i."Examplecreer- to believe

caer- to decline/descendleer- to readoír- to hearposeer -to pessessproveer- to accommodateroer - to corrode

Exceptions to this rule include:

traer - to bringatraer -to engage/ entice/ fix distraer- to amuse/ distract/ embezzele/ misappropiate-UirVerbs that end in -uir change in the same way, but the written accent over the letter "i" only occurs in the yo form.

atraer- to attractdetraer- to removedistraer- to distractextraer- to extractmaltraer- to treat in an ill mannerretraer- to dissuade/retractsustraer- to deduct/stealVerbs that end in -ucir are irregular and conjugated as follows:

producir- to produce

produjeprodujisteprodujoprodujimosprodujisteisprodujeron

Other verbs in this category include:

aducir- to bring/furnish/qouteconducir- to conduct/convey/guidecoproducir- to coproducededucir-to conclude/deduce/deductinducir- to bring/induce/persuadeintroducir- to intoduce/ insinuate/inductreducir- to bring down/reduce/ cut down ontraducir- to express/interpret/translate

Irregular Stem-ChangingInfinitive Stem Changeandar- to carry anduv-estar- to be estuv-tener to have tuv-caber- to admit cup-haber- to have hub-poder- to be able to pud-poner to put pus-saber- to know sup-hacer-to do/make hic-querer- to want quis-venir - to come vin-ExamplesHere are two examples of how this pattern is applied:

estar (estuv-) saber (sup-)estuve supeestuviste supisteestuvo supoestuvimos supimosestuvisteis supisteisestuvieron supieronNote: The one exception is the third person singular of hacer. The c changes to z to form "hizo."Changing Your MeaningSome verbs actually change meaning, depending upon whether they are used in the preterite.ExamplesConocer - to know someone

Conocí a Juan hace cinco años.

I met Juan five years ago.ExampleQuerer-to want

María quiso comprar la casa.

Maria tried to buy the house.

ExampleNo querer

María no quiso comprar la casa.

Maria refused to buy the house.ExampleSaber- to know facts

María lo supo ayer.

Maria found out yesterday.ExamplePoder- to be able to

María pudo levantar la mesa.

Maria succeeded in lifting the table.ExampleTener- to have

María tuvo una carta de su mamá.

Maria received a letter from her mom.Thank Ya'llmade by Angela MooreResources; www.studyspanish.com Unit 6